One of the joys of being a reviewer is when a book you didn't really know much about ends ups on your schedule. In this case, I saw Chlorine by Jade Song on Edelweiss and it looked interesting. I downloaded it nd messages my editor at Booklist to see if we could fit it in. Then right around the holidays I settled down to read it, expecting nothing. But then....I was immediately pulled in, a title not to miss. Here is the draft review and then more appeal info below.
Chlorine
By Jade Song
Song's debut is a strikingly original coming-of-age story. Speaking from adulthood, Ren recounts the pivotal year in her life, when she exchanged her life as a good Chinese daughter, working hard to get into a top college, competing as an elite swimmer, for a life without terrestrial concerns, as a mermaid. No longer human, Ren intimately shares her memories with a direct, confessional narration, effortlessly drawing readers in from the first lines. As Ren struggles with the pressures of her sport, the obsession of her coach, her feelings for her best friend Cathy, and her experiences as an immigrant, the rawness and pain are familiar, but it is Ren’s insistence on becoming a mermaid, where this tale takes all to the breaking point, leaving a lasting mark. Full of contractions, magnificently balancing and remarkably sustaining wonder and dread, magical realism and harsh reality, a heartbreakingly beautiful and intensely uneasy tone, this is a story that will hold readers in its thrall, squirming with discomfort, yet, unable to look away from the page. Ripe for discussion, Chlorine is a great choice for fans of weird, immersive, female driven body horror by authors like Armfield, Khaw, and Machado.
YA/General Interest: Ren's experiences as an elite high school athlete, her difficulties fitting in, body dysmorphia, and burgeoning sexuality will resonate with many older teens.
Further Appeal: I cannot stress enough how quickly this story pulls you in. Ren's narration is confident
and direct. Speaking from her place as a mermaid, freed from the human world, Ren is our guide. What could be too weird is not at all. I cannot express enough how well Song handles every
facet of the story.
here are some of my reading notes:
- A tale that will make you squirm and break your heart. It is heartbreakingly beautiful, terrifying, and full of wonder.
- A mix of dread and wonder, both that are magnificently sustained throughout.
- Relationship with Cathy-- best friend-- is so well done, complex and honest
- Striking narration– talks directly to reader from place as a mermaid now– it is weird and uncomfortable and frank– disorienting but also conversational and familiar.
- It takes the idea of identity and pushes it to the max. You could call it defiant, but I would rather say it is strong. Takes its needle to the coming of age trope and sews a new pattern. (this is a direct reference to a plot point near the climax.
- It is sapphic and body horror and immigrant experience story
- Pressure on young women, especially competitive athletes– swimmers int his case– and their bodies
- Magical realism, body horror, coming of age. The wide appeal of this story and the many entry points means it is a great read for all readers. Also book discussions!!!
- Amazingly constructed for a debut– controlled but compelling and edge of your seat suspense, squirming moments realistic and horrific– utterly immersive.
I hope the readers for the Shirley Jackson Award notice this one because it is worth considering for that
award.
Readalikes: The three authors above are great places to start. Titles that have been nominated for the Shirley Jackson Award are also a great option here. Helen Oyoyemi, Rachel Eve Moulton, and Samanta Schweblin are also great options.
Just don't miss this book. It is a spectacular reading experience.
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